Turkish parliament to discuss authority of 'partial' state of emergency

The Turkish parliament is to discuss an amendment package, including the broad authority of declaring a 'partial' state of emergency for 'fight against terrorism' as the existing state of emergency is ending on July 19

Turkey's ruling party AKP will bring up a regulation package to the parliament that allows to "partial state of emergency when required" under the pretext of the fight against terrorism as the ongoing emergency is to end on July 19, Hürriyet daily reported.

According to the report, the government is expected to present a 100-article amendment package in the parliament, including some regulations on the law on "fight against terrorism." The parliament is reported to discuss the adjustments for declaring a partial state of emergency in case of terror attacks, establishing "safe territories" and "crisis management centres" around the country.

The new regulations may remove or lift the procedures stalling "broadcast bans," "preventive detainments" and "searching houses or vehicles", the report said. The establishment of "safe territories" will provide the government with some authorities such as declaring a curfew, imposing bans on public rallies and demonstrations in the cities for "security purposes," and shutting down some places for "propaganda of terror and fanaticism", it added.

According to the new amendments, the security forces and the judiciary will be granted with a "delegation of authority" in order to collect evidence, carry out technical surveillance, detain suspects and impose media blackouts, Hürriyet said. The authorities will also be able to declare crisis management centres in case of natural disasters.

As a presidential decree was published for the readjustment of ministries, the Turkish Interior Ministry was granted with some authorities for ensuring the declaration of a "partial state of emergency" in terms of specific conditions of some regions, provinces and districts around the country.

President Erdoğan and his party projected to lift the ongoing state of emergency following the elections on June 24. Ankara had announced nationwide a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, in the wake of an attempted military coup, and the government ruled the country with statutory decrees on several issues.